Irradiation apparatus

ABSTRACT

Polymeric article irradiation apparatus comprising a radiation source and a carousel, the carousel including drive means and a plurality of carriers for polymeric articles, each carrier being mounted on the carousel and adapted to rotate about a respective axis, wherein the drive means is adapted to cause the carousel to rotate about a central axis in use and further adapted to cause each carrier to rotate about said respective axis during rotation of the carousel about said central axis.

[0001] This invention relates to apparatus or irradiation of articles, particularly but not exclusively for irradiation sterilisation, cross-linking or modification of articles composed of polymeric materials.

[0002] Existing apparatus for sterilisation of polymeric articles suffer from various problems. In one form of previously known apparatus, polymeric articles are placed in bins on a conveyor which moves in a rectangular path around the radiation source. The articles, for example moulded polymeric products receive different doses of radiation dependent on their position within each bin. Articles in the middle of each bin are shielded by other articles. This may be of little importance in bulk sterilisation of non-organic materials but the effect on organic materials such as polymers is very dose dependent. Since the conveyor speed is set to give a specific dose, it is impossible to provide non-standard doses without modification of the plant which is usually used simultaneously for other purposes. It has also been common to use a turntable located in front of a radiation source. However articles in inner layers may be shielded by those in the outer layers. Because the available area of the turntable is finite, the quantity of articles which may receive even treatment is limited by the outside diameter of the turntable.

[0003] According to the present invention polymeric article irradiation apparatus comprises a radiation source and a carousel, the carousel including drive means and a plurality of carriers for polymeric articles, each carrier being mounted on the carousel and adapted to rotate about a respective axis, wherein the drive means is adapted to cause the carousel to rotate about a central axis in use and further adapted to cause each carrier to rotate about said respective axis during rotation of the carousel about said central axis.

[0004] Preferred apparatus provides a planetary motion to each carrier. Each carrier periphery follows an epicyclic path during rotation about the central axis. Accordingly each article mounted within a carrier also follows an epicyclic path arranged so that each article receives the same exposure to the radiation source. The articles may be exposed to the radiation source for a period of time necessary to achieve the radiation dosage in accordance with conventional practice. The central and carrier axes are usually disposed vertically.

[0005] In a preferred apparatus the carousel may rotate at 5 rpm and the carriers may rotate at 6 rpm. Alternative rotational speeds may be employed as desired to ensure that the articles receive even irradiation during the period of exposure to the source.

[0006] The drive means may conveniently comprise an electric motor coupled to the central shaft of the carousel. The carriers may be connected to the central shaft by means of a chain and sprocket arrangement to one carrier, the remaining carriers being connected by a circumferential chain drive engaging sprockets on each carrier.

[0007] Any convenient number of carriers may be provided, for example 6 to 8, preferably 7.

[0008] Each carrier may include a platform adapted to support a bin or other container for polymeric articles. Two bins may be located one above the other on each platform, permitting the bins to be interchanged when a half of a full radiation dose has been applied. This reduces or eliminates any tendency for upper and lower ends of articles within each bin to receive reduced radiation doses. The articles should be preferably arranged around the periphery of each bin.

[0009] The apparatus of the present invention increases the quantity of polymeric products which can be evenly treated to a close tolerance of radiation dose from a given floor area.

[0010] The invention is further described by means of example but not in any limitative sense with reference to the accompanying drawings of which:

[0011]FIG. 1 is a plan view of apparatus in accordance with the invention;

[0012]FIG. 2 is a section of A-A of FIG. 1; and

[0013]FIG. 3 is a plan view of the base of the apparatus.

[0014] The apparatus shown in the drawings comprises carriers 1 providing horizontal platforms upon which containers 11 of polymeric articles may be disposed. Each carrier 1 is mounted for rotation on a respective axle 2 mounted in a bearing 12 driven by a sprocket 3. Seven carriers are shown although an alternative number may be used as convenient. A carousel comprising ground engaging base portion 13 is shown generally in FIGS. 2 and 3. A central shaft 6 mounted for rotational movement in bearings 14 and rotatable arms 15 supporting the bearings 12 and the carriers mounted on them. A motor (not shown) connected to the central shaft 6 causes rotation of the arms 15. A sprocket 7 and chain 8 connected to a sprocket 16 on one carrier are arranged to cause the carrier to rotate at 6 rpm as the carousel is driven at 5 rpm by the motor. The remaining carriers connected by a circumferential chain 4 and respective sprockets 3. Adjustable tensioning sprockets 5 and 9 may be moved to positions 5 a and 9 a to take up slack in the drive chains.

[0015] In use the apparatus may be disposed within a radiation chamber at an appropriate distance of eg 2 to 3 meters from the source. Each polymeric article within a bin 11 follows an epicylic path due to the planetary motion of the carriers 1.

[0016] The apparatus of the present invention maximises the quantity of products which can be evenly treated to a close dosage tolerance within a limited floor area.

[0017] Given a floor area of 1.525 m, the maximum number of rods of 75 mm diameter×0.5 m (about 2 kg in weight) that will fit within the circumference in a single layer with 3 mm separation is 57, using the planetary turntable in the same space it is 77. In practice, because of the manual handling problem in carrying materials into the inside of the plant, the maximum turntable treated quantity was restricted to a single bin of <15. Using the planetary system, the individual bins can be reloaded and then quickly exchanged. At a quoted plant cost of £600 per hour downtime this is very cost effective. A further refinement has been to place 2 bins on each station so that at half dose time, they can be exchanged top to bottom and thereby effectively remove the end effect. This was previously possible only with <15 size. It would clearly be impractical (at £10/min) to manually exchange rods in a 1.5 m bin set.

[0018] Given the above it is now possible to process 144 at 2 kg=288 kg instead of 30 at 2 kg=60 kg in one run and with an even dose distribution. 

What I claim is:
 1. Polymeric article irradiation apparatus comprising a radiation source and a carousel, the carousel including drive means and a plurality of carriers for polymeric articles, each carrier being mounted on the carousel and adapted to rotate about a respective axis, wherein the drive means is adapted to cause the carousel to rotate about a central axis in use and further adapted to cause each carrier to rotate about said respective axis during rotation of the carousel about said central axis.
 2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein each corner follows an epicyclic path for rotation about the central axis.
 3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the central and carrier axes are vertical.
 4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the carousel rotates at 5 rpm and the carriers rotate at 6 rpm.
 5. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the carriers are connected to the central shaft by means of a chain and sprocket arrangement to one carrier, the remaining carriers being connected by a circumferential chain drive engaging sprockets on each carrier.
 6. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , including 6 to 8 carriers.
 7. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein each carrier includes a platform adapted to support a container for polymeric articles.
 8. Apparatus as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the container comprises a bin.
 9. Apparatus as claimed in claim 8 , wherein two bins are located one above the other on each platform. 